Helium-filled balloons are very popular novelty items, and have become common gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and other occasions for well-wishing. One of the reasons that helium-filled balloons are so popular, perhaps particularly among children, is that they float and bob and weave with the air currents in due to their lighter-than-air property. The ability to float is absolutely required if a balloon is to be displayed on the end of a string, and millions of balloons on a string are sold every year.
Due to increased demand for helium, it is becoming difficult to offer helium-filled balloons at prices agreeable to potential balloon consumers. For example, while only approximately 8% of the global helium supply is employed in filing balloons, 20% of that supply (and rising) is purchased for use in cooling the magnets of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines. The MRI industry and others industries willing and capable of purchasing helium at high prices are beginning to drive helium prices beyond what the balloon industry can bear. As helium prices increase, helium-filled balloon prices increase, and helium-filled balloon demand decreases. Purveyors of balloons and balloon displays would therefore benefit if a suitable substitute for the classic helium-filled balloon could be provided using cheap ambient air. Because the lighter-than-air properties of a helium-filled balloon are important to the balloon consumer, a suitable substitute should simulate some of the floating, bobbing and weaving properties of lighter-than-air balloons. The present invention thus seeks to address the present difficulties in producing and selling affordable helium-filled balloons by provided a balloon display simulating the motions of a lighter-than-air balloon.